Today, on my “holiday,” I’m working on my freelance business. I got up early, made coffee, and sat down at my desk. I updated my bullet journal and read some stories on Medium. And now it’s time to work.
I’ve been working for most of my waking hours since January. I’ve experienced several rounds of burnout. I’ve tried to implement the Pomodoro method and improve my self-care. I’ve neglected my once-robust workout routine and I consume entirely too much coffee.
Now that I’m a full-time freelancer, I feel like I can never stop working. Today is not a day of rest for me. It’s a day where I can inch a little more forward than I can on other days.
Unlike many holidays in which the barbecues and parties were tacked on later, Labor Day started as a day off. It was always meant to give workers temporary relief from their oppressive jobs.
As Jenny Justice points out in this excellent piece, for those of us in the gig economy, there isn’t really a day off. Or any time off. We’re always hustling. We’re always oppressed.
And so “holidays” take on a different meaning for us. While most people imagine themselves laying by a pool sipping mimosas, I imagine finally having time to launch yet another blog project. While most people stock up on chips and dip and get ready to overeat, I imagine…
